I am considering buying a color laser printer (probably sometime in July) and currently am considering one of two choices: either HP Color Laserjet 2550L or Samsung CLP550. The HP model is listed as working perfectly in Unixprinting website, but there is no record on the Samsung model. However, both printers are listed as having Postscript and Linux support on the netstore website so I guess they should both work.

The HP model is tempting due to its relatively small size, relatively light weigth (a bit over 20 kg) and cheap price as I don't have much space and am not too strong. On the other hand the Samsung model is larger and heavier (over 30 kg) but has duplex printing and has gotten better reviews in local computer magazines. I presume it should work fine due to listed Postscript and Linux support even though the CLP500 model is listed as "Paperweight" on unixprinting site.

Which one should I choose ? The price difference is no big deal but I wouldn't like to lug around a large and heavy box.

We have a Samsung CLP-500N at work. It claims Linux support, and even came with a Linux driver, but I haven't (yet) managed to make it work.
Installing it put the Linux Printing System on my SuSE 8.2 box - it appears to send the print, but nothing comes out of the printer.
Now, this is the "N" version, that contains it's own print server, and all the instructions that come with the Linux driver are for the non-"N" version (parallel or USB), so there's a good chance I got something wrong when setting it up. I didn't pursue it at the time because (a) I'm planning to update to SuSE 9.2 as soon as I get some time, (b) I'm too busy right now and (c) it isn't important - we got the printer to print brochure inserts from Windoze.
As a Windoze printer it's great - the quality is fantastic, and it's pretty quick (especially compared to the Colour LaserJet 5 I'm running at home ). The built-in duplex is a must-have for work.
If you are prepared to play around a bit, the Samsung could well be a good one to go for. Especially if it has Postscript (the 500 doesn't) as it then becomes very easy to drive - just send raw PS to it.
Otherwise, HP are usually a pretty safe bet...

I went to the HP site for you and found the HP Color Laserjet 2550L does offer duplex printing. I also went to linuxprinting.org and found additional information about Samsung, you may or may not have known. Here's the link:
http://linuxprinting.org/show_printer.c ... ng-CLP-500

The comments don't seem to be too supportive, but they don't completely dismiss this Samsung model.

The printer driver you use, will also determine whether you get full functionality of your printer. Not all printer drivers are created equal.

I have been using the Samsung CLP-500 with the network model and have no problems with printing in over 12 months. I have used Red Hat 9.0, Suse Linux 9.0/9.1/9.2 and it is just a couple of little things - you need to find one particular set of instructions and download the driver from the US site.

1a - Alternate - Download 20040224170114656_lpp-1.1.2-7-i386.tar.gz from US Web site and extract to /opt/samsung (preferred)

2 - To install insert CD (or go to directory /opt/samsung) that came with printer and run as root "setup.sh". Software is installed to /usr/local/linuxprinter. Expert install method used but all default options were accepted as follows:

4 - In my case for SuSE 9.1 due to linux-config authorisation fail I changed in /etc/cups/cupsd.conf "AuthType BasicDigest" to "AuthType None" and restarted CUPS (rccups restart) prior to using linux-config. Set your permissions to suit your needs. Read the docs starting with the comments in cupsd.conf.

4a - Open "linux-config" program as root to add printer. Use shell or KDE or Gnome. Using KDE: K > Applications > Configuation Tool

4b - Click "Add Printer". This button is only available for root. A CUPS authentication window will appear asking for user (root) and password. Note that CUPS permissions must be taken care of to make the connection.

Thanks, Steve - I'm hoping to find the time to update my work box to SuSE 9.2 in the next couple of weeks so I'll give the printer another go at the same time.
I did find the Linux driver & instructions on the Samsung CD, but it seemed to be all geared up for non-network stuff. It may be that SuSE 8.2 is doing to me what your 9.1 system did to you, and that it will all work "out of the box" with 9.2... we'll see

Useful information here for the Samsung CLP 500. I have been using three of them under various windows for a good few months. It's an excellent printer albeit a bit expensive on refils (but then we do a lot of printing) I haven't found anyone that can refil the cartridges yet either.

One small quirk with one of them being the used toner sensor the toggle in front of it got in the way of the light sensor even when a new one was fitted - i simply broke it off and keep an eye on the used toner level now. (As always be careful if emptying it - it is carcinogenic as is all toner.)

quality speed etc are all great and its quiet too.

I am just about to set up some (Suse 9.3) Linux machines, as a newbie to Linux if not IT generally, and the above will really help in knowing that a/. its possible so I won't spit the dummy out with it until I get there now and b/. the techie info contained above. Thanks for publishing it up.

Anonymous wrote:One small quirk with one of them being the used toner sensor the toggle in front of it got in the way of the light sensor even when a new one was fitted - i simply broke it off and keep an eye on the used toner level now. Paul

We had that problem on ours recently as well - had the sensor replaced under warranty. The engineer initially tried modifying the toggle, but the problem returned in a couple of days. He then fitted a new sensor, and it's worked fine since.
Apparently this has happened to a few of these printers - sometimes trimming a bit off of the toggle works, other times it doesn't. Sounds like they had a batch of not-quite-up-to-spec sensors.

By the way - the toggle is only there to detect if the used toner bottle is missing (or not fitted properly) - even without it the sensor should still detect if the used toner bottle is full or not.